Mycotoxins in Brewing Materials and Beer

The presented thesis deals with the issue of mycotoxins in brewing materials and beer. Attention was devoted mainly to the selected fusarium mycotoxins (deoxynivalenol, zearalenol, T-2 toxin, and HT-2 toxin) ochratoxin A and aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2. The aim of the thesis was to optimize and validate analytical methods for the determination of the above mentioned mycotoxins in the brewing materials and beer. Analytes were separated using high-performance liquid chromatography with mass – spectrometric detection (HPLC-MS/MS) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (UPLC/FLR). These analytical methods were then applied for mapping the occurrence of fusarium mycotoxins in malting barley crops in the Czech Republic and monitoring the level of contamination with mycotoxins in malting and brewing industries. In addition, experiments studying over-foaming of beer were conducted as primary gushing – over-foaming of beer – is connected, similarly as mycotoxins, with the presence of microscopic filamentous fungi in the raw materials for beer production. Studies describing in detail these methods are part of this thesis (Annex I – V). From all published results, it is evident that the occurrence of mycotoxins in cereals including barley is natural and cannot be completely prevented, not even if all conditions of correct agricultural practice are observed. It is known that some mycotoxins present in contaminated malting barley pass to the final product – beer due to their chemical and physical properties. However, the mycotoxin concentrations found do not mean any significant health risk for consumers